The 15 Most Iconic Met Gala Looks Ever
In honor of the 2024 Met Gala on Monday, we're taking a look back at some of the gala's most marvelous guests and their most memorable red carpet moments.
Every First Monday in May, celebrities take on fashion's favorite red carpet at the steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, showing off highly-anticipated looks before entering the exclusive invite-only Met Gala. Fashion’s biggest night out, as it’s most notably known, dates back to 1948 where it was established by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert as an effective way to raise money for the newly founded Costume Institute and mark the opening of its annual exhibit. The first Gala was an elaborate dinner and tickets were sold for fifty dollars each.
It feels like it was just yesterday that all our favorite A-listers turned heads with their own unique interpretations of "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty." Last year, it was all about black, white, and a whole lot of pearls, crystals, tulles, and tweeds. But this year will be drastically different. Last November, Vogue revealed that this year's theme will be "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." What does that mean exactly?
Andrew Bolton, the head curator of the Costume Institute, told The New York Times that "It's pretty much an ode to nature [...] Nature as a metaphor for fashion and for its fragility and its ephemerality." Given that, it was no surprise that this year's dress code will be "The Garden of Time."
Although we won’t be following along as our favorite celebrities emerge on the museum’s red-carpeted steps, this is definitely the perfect time to look back on our favorite iconic appearances such as Lady Gaga’s show-stopping red carpet outfit changes last year, Naomi Campbell in sparkling Versace, Rihanna’s Jawdropping Guo Pei gown in 2015, and of course, Blake Lively's ode to the Statue of Liberty in 2022.
Bianca Jagger, 1974
Bianca Jagger attends the MET gala with Mick Jagger in a stunning ruby red sheer gown. The theme of the night being: “Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design.”
Cher, 1974
Queen of the Naked Dress, Cher attends the “Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design” themed gala in an original Bob Mackie design.
Iman, 1981
Calvin Klein and muse, Iman attend the "The Eighteenth Century Woman" themed MET gala in 1981. Iman wears a glistening gold Calvin Klein gown and matching oversized hoop earrings.
Christy Turlington, 1992
Christy Turlington channels Audrey Hepburn in a simple fitted black gown with a stacked pearl choker to attend the 1992 gala themed: “Fashion and History: A Dialogue.”
Naomi Campbell, 1995
Never ceasesing to amaze, supermodel Naomi Campbell wears a sparkling Versace dress to attend the 1995 Haute Couture MET gala.
Princess Diana, 1996
The Royal style icon wore a navy Dior slip dress paired with a sapphire necklace and earrings. The Gala appearance by the Princess of Wales would be her first and only before her passing.
Diana Ross, 2003
The Queen of Motown attends the “Goddess: The Classical Mode” MET gala in an eye-catching Tom Ford era, red Gucci gown.
Kate Moss, 2009
At the 2009 “The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion.” themed gala, Supermodel Kate Moss appeared on the Zebra carpet in a shimmering champagne-colored Marc Jacobs gown and turban. Known as one of the Marc’s major muses, this dress was a rendition of many others that have walked the gala’s carpet on stars from Gisele Bundchen to Emily Ratajkowski.
Rihanna, 2015
Without a doubt, 2015 was a year for not only one of the most momumental exhibits to be unveiled at the MET gala, themed China: Through the Looking Glass, yet it was also a night producing one of the most memorable red carpet looks to date. Delivering the performance of the night, Rihanna arrived to the museum in a Guo Pei couture gown worthy of an event headliner. Most memorable for the dramatic train, the dress is now available to view in a museum exhibit of its own.
Beyoncé, 2015
If there's one thing you should know about Beyoncé, it's that her style never disappoints. For "China: Through the Looking Glass," Queen Bey dazzled in a sheer rhinestone-embellished gown designed by none other than Givenchy.
Lupita Nyong'o, 2016
A rising star at the time and one of the newest faces of Calvin Klein, Lupita Nyongo attended the “Manus X Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” gala in a jade sequin dress with velvet straps by Calvin Klein.
Gigi Hadid, 2018
While Gigi Hadid has always been known for her fearless approach to fashion, her appearance in a Versace gown at the 2018 Met Gala undoubtedly stands out as one of her most iconic style moments to date. Whether or not you're a fan of the supermodel, there's no denying that impeccably interpreted the theme "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination." That year, she opted for a crystal-embellished gown that emulated a stained-glass window.
Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner, 2019
The 2019 Met Gala marked Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner's first sister twinning moment at the annual event, and it was nothing short of iconic. For "Camp: Notes on Fashion," the Jenner sisters graced the red carpet in extravagant feathered gowns designed by Versace. Kylie dazzled in a regal, head-to-toe purple ensemble, while Kendall exuded glamor in a striking bright orange beaded dress. The duo certainly took the mermaidcore fashion trend to a whole new level!
Blake Lively, 2022
If you've ever questioned why people often call Blake Lively the "Queen of the Met Gala," stop wondering. While the Gossip Girl star has had some memorable red carpet moments over the years, she truly outdid herself with her 2022 Met Gala appearance. In celebration of "In America: An Anthology of Fashion," Lively donned a gown paying homage to the iconic Statue of Liberty. Mimicking the Statue's original bronze hue, her gown underwent a mesmerizing transformation, eventually revealing intricate green details, capturing the essence of this American symbol in a truly captivating fashion.
Kim Kardashian, 2023
In 2023, Kim Kardashian honored the late Karl Lagerfeld in her most dramatic ensemble yet, and that's a lot, considering the SKIMS founder is not one to shy away from extravagant choices. Remember her beaded latex dress designed by Thierry Mugler at the 2019 Met Gala? Still, Kardashian continues to push fashion boundaries, even by her own standards, and last year's look was certainly no exception. Designed by Schiaparelli creative director Daniel Roseberry, the gown featured 50,000 freshwater pearls.
